Danielle Zurovcik (2004 mechanical engineering) received the Penn State Mechanical Engineering Alumni Society (PSMES) 2015 Outstanding Early Career Engineering Award. Zurovcik, is the inaugural recipient of the award, which recognizes a high achieving mechanical engineering alumnus who is within 10 years of his or her terminal degree.

“This award represents the strong foundation that the Penn State mechanical engineering department provided me in pursuing my career dreams,” said Zurovcik. “It also embodies the long-term support of the alumni, which is one of the many benefits of being a part of the Penn State mechanical engineering family.”

Zurovcik, a Penn State Schreyer Scholar, completed a master’s and doctorate degree from MIT. Her doctoral research focused on medical device design and development and she has two patents pending for a wound pump and MRI-driven solid-state actuators. Zurovcik is also the founder and CEO of Worldwide Innovative Healthcare, Inc. (WiCare). WiCare develops effective and affordable medical devices for use in rural clinics in the developing world and state-of-the-art clinics in the U.S.

She has received numerous accolades for her wound pump and WiCare’s work with treating patents in developing countries. Her device, a simplified negative pressure wound therapy, was used in the field to help with relief efforts after the Haiti earthquake in 2010.

PSMES intended the early career award as a complement to the Penn State Outstanding Engineering Alumni Awards, bestowed by the College of Engineering. The goal of the award is to celebrate the exceptional career accomplishments of recent graduates, especially technical or research advancements, leadership contributions, academic achievements, community involvement, and humanitarian contributions.

“We hope to foster strong life-long bonds between these prominent graduates and the department, particularly with faculty, alumni, and current undergraduates,” said Amos Morse, PSMES vice president.

The PSMES Outstanding Early Career Engineering Award recipient is invited to attend the PSMES senior recognition banquet and give the guest presentation. At March 25 event, Zurovcik spoke to a room full of faculty, staff, students, and alumni about her work. Her passion for her work was evident throughout the presentation, which was geared toward the students in the room. She touched on finding your passion, never giving up, and developing great mentor relationships.

“It was a great honor to receive the award, and it gives me even more motivation in my career pursuits and my drive to inspire the current and future classes of alumni,” Zurovcik said.